Introduction: Social Network Analysis - A primer for sport scientists.

Relational data in sports

@Waesche2017 offer a typology of possible networks in sports. Their article is also an amazing resource to start your journey into SNA (in sports and beyond).

Types of networks in sports based on Waesche et al. (2017)
Network.type Description
Competition Networks Results of games, rankings or structural patterns in sport (e.g. two-mode networks such as athletes at same competitions, players in same team). Relative performance or structural patterns are analyzed.
Interaction Networks (intra-event) Relations are rule-based elements of the game (e.g. passes), often analyzed for effectiveness.
Inter-organizational Networks Network structures between organizations (e.g. collaboration between sport providers, franchises, clubs, event organizers).
Intra-organizational Networks Network structures within organizations (e.g. communication among team members or within sport associations).
Affiliation Networks Affiliations of social actors with aggregations of social actors (e.g. membership of individuals in organizations, participation of actors at events). Data are usually collected as two-mode networks.
Social Environments Representation of a sport-related social environment as a network in which individual sports actors (e.g. athletes, individuals, teams) are embedded. Analysis of support, influence etc.

Network phenomena: Global and individual levels

Networks as independent variables

What is the influence of structure?

Example: English soccer teams

Example: something with individual-level dependent variable

Networks as dependent variables

How does structure come about?

Example:

Setting boundaries

Nominalist and realist [@Waesche2017]

Conclusion: A checklist to inform your research design

  • Am I studying a relational phenomenon? What are my ties/ links?
  • What is the content of my ties?
  • Do I look at network phenomena at the global or individual level?
  • Are network phenomena my dependent or independent variable?
  • How would I go about setting boundaries for my network?

Your turn:

Think about the study you are working on right now. Or, if you do not have on, come up with an interesting question you would like to work on. Elaborate